The present invention relates exclusively to the processing of mail and concerns more particularly an integrated OA assembly for preparing mailpieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,249 already discloses an assembly for preparing mail comprising a computer, a folder-inserter and two printers, one for printing the documents, the other for printing the envelopes. Similarly, International Patent Application WO 97/28972 discloses an entirely integrated and compact unit effecting such a preparation of the mailpieces, from the printing of the documents to their being placed in envelopes.
These solutions show that the search for complete integration with a view to producing an OA assembly necessarily involves a precise choice of the type of printer. In effect, printers available on the market at the present time present totally different architectures with, for example, document outlets in single printing mode and in recto-verso mode which are completely different as to their arrangement.
Now, the mailing departments of enterprises which are conventionally equipped with franking machines and with integrated document folding and inserting machines, thus often have their own type of printer and they do not necessarily wish to change in order to conform to the set structure imposed by these prior art mail preparation systems.
In addition, for a determined position of the document and/or empty envelope inlet of these filling machines, there may correspond a plurality of document and/or empty envelope outlet positions, representative of a determined type of printer.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks set forth hereinabove by proposing a preferably universal adapter device allowing a folder/inserter to be connected very simply to a printer, whatever its type, in order to produce a particularly compact, autonomous mail preparation assembly well adapted to OA use. A further object of the invention is to effect such adaptation by simple manual adjustments. Yet another object of the invention is to allow the folder/inserter and the printer associated therewith to be rapidly disconnected.
These objects are attained by an adapter device comprising a platform intended to receive a digital printer and capable of receiving a folder/inserter, and an adapter assembly cooperating with the platform to support the digital printer and position it in space (in height, length and width) with respect to the folder/inserter, by causing the inlet of the folder/inserter to correspond to the or each outlet of the digital printer.
This specific structure makes it possible to produce, at low cost, a complete mail preparation assembly which integrates an existing folder/inserter and printer.
The adapter assembly comprises a chassis capable of sliding longitudinally over slideways of the platform, a deck intended to receive the digital printer and capable of being positioned in height at any one of a plurality of predetermined levels of adjustment within this chassis, and a plurality of fastening devices serving to position and immobilize the digital printer on the deck both in length and in width.
The deck preferably rests on support tabs disposed regularly along vertical rules fixed to vertical uprights of the chassis, immobilization of the deck being obtained by fixing means traversing both this deck and the uprights. The fastening means are constituted by brackets fixed in orifices at pre-established positions of the deck.
The adapter assembly advantageously slides longitudinally over slideways of the platform and may be immobilized in a plurality of positions of blockage predetermined by locking means. These slideways are preferably of telescopic type with a first rail fast with the chassis which slides in a second rail fast with the platform via a third mobile intermediate rail.
The folder/inserter is positioned on the platform via feet which are received in appropriate recentering housings made in this platform.
According to a preferred embodiment, the adapter device according to the invention further comprises a complementary structure disposed between the folder/inserter and the digital printer, allowing the documents and/or empty envelopes to be transferred from the printer to the folder/inserter whatever their outlet orientation. This complementary structure comprises, on the one hand, in its lower part, a base that may be removably mounted on the platform and provided with a housing for receiving a bin of documents of recto-verso type from the printer and, on the other hand, in its upper part, a transfer unit for transporting the documents and/or empty envelopes from the printer to the folder/inserter. The transfer unit comprises at least one horizontal type inlet in the form of a funnel, a vertical type inlet likewise in the form of a funnel, and a common outlet.